Salvador & Beautiful Bahia Tour

10 Days / 9 Nights

This 10-day tour of Salvador, Lençois and Praia do Forte showcases the beauty of Bahia, perhaps the state that most people associate with a holiday in Brazil - the vibrant music and Afro-Brazilian culture of Salvador, the natural beauty of Lençois and the Chapada Diamantina National Park, and the paradise beaches of Praia do Forte.rn

This 10-day tour of Salvador, Lençois and Praia do Forte showcases the beauty of Bahia, perhaps the state that most people associate with a holiday in Brazil - the vibrant music and Afro-Brazilian culture of Salvador, the natural beauty of Lençois and the Chapada Diamantina National Park, and the paradise beaches of Praia do Forte.

Beginning in Salvador, the capital of Afro-Brazilian culture and erstwhile capital of Brazil, you learn the history of the colonial and slavery times amongst the streets and squares of Pelourinho, the historic part of town. The story of the city and its people lies in its baroque churches, colourful art and live musical rhythms, and in the candomble religious ceremonies and demonstrations of capoeira, the Brazilian martial art developed as self-defence by slaves. You can experience a little of all this during any visit to Salvador.

From the city you travel into the interior, to Lençois and the Chapada Diamantina National Park, possibly the finest of Brazil's parks with flat-topped mountains, tea-coloured waterfalls, lush valleys and incredible views. The area has its own microclimate and endemic flora and fauna. You will undoubtedly encounter some of this as you tour the park, with trails taking you through vegetation to the rivers, falls and the mouths of beautiful caves, all with crystalline waters. Your days are amongst the finest that nature has to offer in Brazil, your evenings can be spent dining on the cobbles of Lençois, outside one of the colourful colonial house. The town and its residents are always a pleasure to know.

You finish with some days on the paradise beaches of Bahia, in Praia do Forte just 90 minutes from Salvador. The small fishing village has turned into a beach resort but retains its small-town feel. There are miles of sand and sea and palm trees with wildlife in the ocean and the lagoon, and many options in case you want to do more than just relax. Snorkelling, whale-watching, turtle-spotting, surfing and boat trips are available on the beaches, while kayaking, hiking and buggy trips are possible around the Sapiranga Nature Reserve. Praia do Forte makes a wonderful few days to finish your tour of Salvador and Beautiful Bahia.

Brazil Adventure Tours provide you with ideas for tours of Brazil and South America, with all being completely flexible with regards to dates, duration or the tours, activities and classes that we can include. Our website tours are our recommendations based on our experience of how to make the very best of your time in South America. We can adjust these details in any way that you wish, with a little advice from us of course. We can combine any of our destinations that you wish to visit into one tour, and for however long you wish to visit them. Any of our Traditional and Adventure tours can also be combined in whichever way you prefer. We are here to organise a tour that suits you after all, not the other way around!

Day 1 : Arrive in Bahia

Salvador

Your flight arrives in Salvador after flying over the beautiful coastline of Bahia in north-east Brazil. A window seat should give you a view of endless miles of white sand, palm-tree groves and blue ocean. On arrival in Salvador, the state capital of Bahia and first capital of Brazil, you will be welcomed at the airport and transferred to your hotel in the historic centre of the city around Pelourinho. Your day is then free to recover from the journey and enjoy Bahian cuisine such as acarajé or moqueca, usually based around seafood, spices and coconut milk.

Day 2 : Afro-Brazilian Cultural Capital

Salvador

Your morning tour of Salvador begins by the lighthouse and fort at the entrance of All Saints Bay and continues via the port which unloaded boats from Africa. Ascending to the Upper City, the Lacerda Elevator has exceptional views over the bay. The tour continues on foot through squares and narrow streets lined with colorful colonial buildings to Pelourinho, the heart of the city. This square contained the whipping post where Africans were sold as slaves. The afternoon is free to browse the historic area. Evening brings a spectacular Bahia Folkloric Show, with representations of candomble rituals and capoeira demonstrations.

Day 3 : The Chapada Diamantina National Park

Salvador to Lençois

After breakfast you travel to Lençois in the Bahia interior, either by plane (Thursday/Sunday only), public bus or private vehicle. The road west from Salvador passes market towns, plantations, and the dry lands of the Sertao, the Brazilian desert interior. The area around the old diamond mining town of Lençois and the National Park of Chapada Diamantina is an oasis in the dusty outback. Flat-topped mountains rise to 1600m, and the valleys between them are covered in lush forests and tumbling waterfalls. After arriving you can explore the cobbled streets of the charming colonial town, or swim at the beautiful Serrano Falls a short walk upriver.

Day 4 : The Caves and Mountains of Chapada Diamantina

Lençois

A full day around the Chapada Diamantina National Park begins with a visit to the Rio Mucugezinho and a short walk to the Poço do Diabo (Devil\'s Well) Waterfall, with a short stop for a swim there. After lunch, you visit the Gruta Azul (Blue Cave) to see the sun hitting the crystal clear water at the optimum moment. You wander amongst huge limestone stalactites and stalagmites of the Gruta da Lapa Doce cave system before finishing the day with the short hike to the top of Morro do Pai Inácio. The flat summits allow 360˚ panoramic views as the sun sets on the Chapada Diamantina National Park, a memorable finish before you return to Lençois.

Day 5 : The Marimbus Wetlands

Lençois

In the morning you begin a tour to Marimbus, the wetland area regarded as the Bahia version of the Pantanal. After arriving at the fishing village of Remanso, you board a boat to traverse the wetlands. The wildlife of the area includes capybara, caiman alligators, deer, abundant bird and marine life, plus the chance to see the beautiful jaguar, although this is rare. A paddled canoe trip helps you to get close to the wildlife in perfect tranquility. After stopping for lunch by the Roncador Waterfall, tou transfer back to Lençois by jeep, with the evening free to enjoy dinner on the streets of Lençois.

Day 6 : Caving, Hiking and Horses

Lençois

The day is free to relax amongst the scenery of Lençois, the surrounding falls and mountains, and perhaps visit the old diamond works to see if you can dig up your own jewels. There are plenty of possibilities, including gentler hikes to waterfalls such as Mosquito or Primavera Falls, or the tougher hike to the top of Cachoeira da Fumaça. There are also horse-rides and mountain-bike rides along the trails in the area. Other trips include visiting two of the Chapada Diamantina postcards, Poço Encantado and Poço Azul (the Enchanted and Blue Wells), with snorkelling possible in the cave waters as the sun turns them blue for only a few minutes per day.

Day 7 : Paradise Beaches of Bahia

Lençois to Praia do Forte

Following breakfast you begin the journey to Praia do Forte with the return to Salvador (by plane if possible). The Coconut Highway north of Salvador runs past rocky coastline and quaint fishing villages on the 50km journey to Praia do Forte. After arriving, the rest of the afternoon is free to explore. There are 13km of paradise beaches around Praia do Forte, which developed from the old fishing village into a modern beach village. The old fort ruins of Garcia D’Ávila Castle and the little lighthouse are also worth a browse. Dining amongst the palm trees under a twinkling sky or a tropical moon is a real pleasure in Praia do Forte.

Day 8 : Turtle & Whale Watching in Bahia

Praia do Forte

Another free day gives you the chance for turtle spotting, as hundreds of female turtles visit each year between May and September to lay their eggs in the sands of Praia do Forte. The turtles and their nesting sites are protected by TAMAR, the Brazilian Sea Turtle Project based near the lighthouse. A sighting of one of these beautiful creatures making her way up the beach to bury her eggs at night, or the hatching turtlets making their way to the ocean some two months later is sure to be a highlight of your trip to Brazil. There are also whale-watching trips between July and October to see the increasing numbers of humpback whales.

Day 9 : Palms & Reefs of Praia do Forte

Praia do Forte

With a free day in Praia do Forte you can relax on the paradise beaches of Bahia, some of the finest in Brazil. The reef just off of the beach acts as a natural breakwater making the turquoise sea calm and clear. The tidal pools that form amongst the coral reef warm up in the sun, making swimming and snorkelling amongst the colorful tropical fish an enjoyable experience for anybody. There are also boat rides on the Atlantic Ocean, deep-sea fishing trips, buggies to rent, or you can kayak in the lagoon, while the Sapiranga Nature Reserve is a protected area of Atlantic Rainforest, with trails, river and waterfalls to enjoy.

Day 10 : Bye-bye Bahia!

Praia do Forte to Salvador & Away

After breakfast at your hotel you will be picked up for the 90 minute transfer back to the airport in Salvador for your flight away from Bahia, possibly connecting in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. As the sun sets on your time in Bahia, hopefully your journey through Salvador, Lençois and Praia do Forte will leave you with a taste of the exotic flavours of Bahia, and hopefully leave you with the desire to visit more of the country with Brazil Adventure Tours. Bahia on its own has over 1,000km of beautiful beaches!

PRICES

Simple

3 Star

4 Star

Luxury

Per Adult *

US$ 1,500

US$ 1,850

US$ 2,225

US$ 3,775

Domestic Flights **

US$ 150

Suggested Hotels

Simple

3 Star

4 Star

Luxury

Salvador

Bahiacafe

Casa do Amarelindo

N/A

Convento do Carmo

Praia do Forte

On Request

Pousada dos Artistas

Porto da Lua

Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte

Lençois & Chapada Diamantina

On Request

Vila Serrano

Canto das Aguas

Canto das Aguas

* Prices vary depending on travel dates and flight availability. Peak periods in Brazil including Carnaval, public holidays and Christmas/New Year usually require a minimum number of nights, so in these cases itineraries may need to be changes. ** Domestic flight prices are estimated on typical values when reserved 6 months before travel. Prices can never be guaranteed until reservations are made though, and do usually become more expensive closer to the travel period.

Do I need any special vaccinations for the areas visited during this tour?

Visitors to Brazil and South America are advised to always check the latest health information from your local doctors or travel clinic.
You may be advised to take a course of Malaria tablets. Yellow Fever Vaccine is highly recommended/essential for the Pantanal & Amazon region, plus the certificate to prove it, and possibly Hepatitis A and B Vaccines.
Please check our Brazil Vaccinations for further information.